Paulownia (Paulownia tomentosa) is the second lightest wood in the world. The tree is native to Japan and Korea. Perhaps the wood’s greatest attribute is that it’s both lightweight and strong. The Average Dried Weight is 18 pounds per cubic foot (or 280 kg/m3) according to the Wood Database. Paulownia is also one of the …
Paulownia: A Wood That’s Both Strong and Ultralight Read More »
A citrus degreaser is a pleasant smelling and safe alternative to traditional petroleum-based solvents like gasoline or kerosene.
Lavender or spike oil is a healthier alternative to traditional solvents, such as turpentine and mineral spirits.
When used as a material to build exercise or yoga gear, cork has a many advantages over plastic:
These are the safest and least toxic sunscreens and insect repellents I’ve found:
Here are some sealant and caulks are mostly free of VOCs and other chemicals:
Zero emission paint is more expensive that regular paint — but it’s worth it for the health benefits. Interior paints can release toxic emissions into a room for months or even years.
Here is a list of eco-friendly gift wraps. These wrap are made with tree-free (lotka) paper or recycled paper:
Kapok is an alternative to conventional pillow stuffing. It is soft like down, yet supportive. Kapok is a silky fiber harvested in the rainforests of southeast Asia, tropical America, and Africa. After the ripe pods of the tree are harvested, the seeds are removed and the fluffy fiber is meticulously cleaned and dried.
These are some metaefficient experiments I’m currently running:
Foot pedal faucet controllers allow you to control a faucet hands-free. These devices are efficient and hygienic — they are commonly found in commercial kitchens and hospitals. I’m not sure why we don’t see them in more homes. You can reduce water use by 50% using pedal controllers, and if it’s hot water, you’ll be …
Grapefruit Seed Extract (or GSE) is a powerful disinfectant. It can be used to disinfect wounds, sterilize fruit and vegetables, purify drinking water, sanitize dishes, countertops and cutting boards and inhibit bacteria growth in pools and spas. The active ingredient of grapefruit seed extract is synthesized from the seed and pulp of certified organically grown …
Grapefruit Seed Extract — An Efficient Disinfectant Read More »
Most garden hoses leach lead and other chemicals into the water. The problem is that they are made of PVC, which uses lead as a stabilizer. Consumer Reports tested 16 brands of garden hose sold at national chains and on the internet. In some hoses they measured 10 to 100 times more lead than the …
A List Of Lead-Free Garden Hoses That Are Safe For Water Drinking Read More »
To add humidity to a room you can place a few areca palms inside. These palms release copious amounts of water into the air, and remove chemical toxins too.
These plants are Neoregelia Bromeliads. In the wild, they grow in the trees of South American rainforests. Indoors, they make fine house plants.
In a city with few green spaces, Namba Parks is a welcome swath of green for the inhabitants of Osaka. The complex stands where Osaka’s baseball stadium used to be until 2003, and consists of a 30-floor skyscraper, Parks Tower, and a shopping mall with eight floors of terraced gardens. The sloping park connects to …
Unusual Green Architecture In Japan: Namba Parks Read More »
Rooibos (pronounced “roy-boss”) is a red tea grown the mountainous Cedarberg area north of Cape Town in South Africa.
These are the easiest microgreens to germinate and sprout:
Here is a list of the easiest edible plants to grow:
The plant that removes the most indoor toxins and releases the most moisture into the air is the Boston Fern or Nephrolepis exaltata “Bostoniensis”.
